Colorado Parks and Wildlife

7/18/2023

Governor Polis appoints three new members to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission

07/18/23

Joey Livingston
Statewide Public Information Officer
303-345-4658 / joseph.livingston@state.co.us

Governor Polis appoints three new members to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission

DENVER - Governor Jared Polis appointed Jess Beaulieu of Denver, John (Jack) Murphy of Aurora and Gary Skiba of Durango to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission for terms that expire on July 1, 2027.

Beaulieu was appointed to serve as a representative of outdoor recreation and parks utilization. She is an active attorney and the manager of the University of Denver’s Animal Law Program. She is also a Board Member of the Colorado Environmental Film Festival, and an Executive Council Member of the Colorado Bar Association Environmental Law Section. She studied Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida and spent time in Australia studying the impact of species such as dingoes and cane toads on ecosystems.

Murphy was appointed to serve as a representative of outdoor recreation and parks utilization. He is a co-founder and president of Urban Wildlife Rescue, which provides humane solutions to wildlife conflicts, wildlife education and wildlife rehabilitation. He has also served on the Colorado Nongame Conservation and Wildlife Restoration board and the board of Colorado Animal Protectors. He has provided educational programs to the Wildlife Masters programs for the CSU Extension Service and was a co-founder and board member of the Colorado Council for Wildlife Rehabilitation.

Skiba was appointed to serve as a representative of sportspersons, and a member West of the Continental Divide. Skiba worked as a wildlife biologist for the Colorado Division of Wildlife for 23+ years, focusing on threatened and endangered species management. He retired from CDOW in 2010 and has since held positions with Great Old Broads for Wilderness, the La Plata County Humane Society, and New Mexico State Parks. He is currently the Wildlife Program Manager for the San Juan Citizens Alliance, a Durango based environmental advocacy organization.

Beaulieu, Murphy and Skiba replace commissioners Taishya Adams, Betsy Blecha and former Chair Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser who attended their last Commission meeting in Alamosa in June. At the meeting, CPW Director Jeff Davis expressed gratitude to the Parks and Wildlife Commission.

“I would like to recognize the Commission and Madam Chair Hauser for your leadership over the last couple years,” Davis said. “I really appreciate all of you, who you are, who you represent, and how you represent them. This is a volunteer position with tons of workload, but this Commission has shown up prepared and went above and beyond to represent their particular interests.”

The Parks and Wildlife Commission is responsible for perpetuating the wildlife resources of the state, providing a quality state parks system and providing enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreations opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado natural resources.

The CPW Commission is a citizen board, composed of 11 governor-appointed members which sets regulations and policies for Colorado’s state parks and wildlife programs. For more information on the CPW Commission and existing members, visit cpw.state.co.us.

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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.

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Governor Polis appoints three new members to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission